Silicon Valley VE Group

... amateur radio license exams in the South Bay

The Silicon Valley Volunteer Examiner (VE) Group is an organization of South Bay radio amateurs affiliated with the ARRL VEC. Our goal, first and foremost, is to give you an opportunity to earn your amateur radio license or upgrade. We offer Technician, General, and Extra class exams to amateur radio newcomers and old hands alike.

Exam Dates

We hold amateur radio examinations on the first and third Saturday of every month--see the calendar on the right.

Exam Location

Exams are held at the Saratoga Firehouse, 14380 Saratoga Avenue, in downtown Saratoga. The firehouse is at the intersection of Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road and Saratoga Avenue (see map below). Enter through the front door.

Exam Time

Exam sessions start at 8 AM; please plan on arriving no later than 9:30 AM. If you intend to take multiple exams in a single session, please give yourself plenty of time by showing up as early as you can, so that you can start your last exam no later than 10 AM.

If you can't make it by 9:30 AM, we might be able to accommodate a late start time, provided you
let us know in advance by calling our group leader, Morris Jones, no later than the Thursday preceding the exam date; his cell phone number is (408) 507-4698.

What to Bring

We'll provide all necessary forms. You'll need to bring:

ID - either a legal photo ID or two forms of non-photo ID.
Youngsters can be identified by an parent or legal guardian with proper ID.

Your Social Security Number (SSN) or Federal Registration Number (FRN).

If you're currently licensed, an original or copy of your amateur radio
license (to see how to get a copy, click here.)
If you are newly licensed and your license is not yet in
the FCC database, bring the original of
your Certificate of Successful Completion of Exam (the certificate you received
at your last exam).

We'll have plenty of pens and pencils on hand, as well as calculators for those who don't have one.

When Will I Receive My License?

While it's impossible to say for sure, it's a good bet that if you pass an exam on a Saturday, your new license status will show up in the FCC database by the following Friday. You can query license status here, by name or callsign.

If You Need More Information...

...please contact our group leader, Morris Jones, AD6ZH, at (408) 507-4698, or send him an e-mail at mojoteri@comcast.net.